SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) — Americans will return close to $90-billion worth of gifts by the time the holiday season wraps up.
Are you one of the people rushing to the store to make a return or exchange? There are some tips to make the process easier on you.
"I heard they opened at 7 so I wanted to beat the rush," said Veronica Ramirez as she headed to Fashion Valley's J.C. Penney.
"I got a present for my aunt but she already had it, so I had to return it," said shopper Giovanni Nieves,
San Diegans aren't the only people making their way to stores to make returns.
The National Retail Federation estimates almost two-thirds of people make at least one return during the holiday season.
Return policies vary from store to store from "no questions asked" to strict rules.
Here are some basic guidelines for making a return:
- Keep all receipts
- Bring identification when making a return
- Don't open boxes to avoid a restocking fee
- Keep an eye on the calendar – some retailers have a limited time for returns
About 46 percent of people say it's clothing and accessories that miss the mark, so those items will be returned in large numbers followed by household items.